South Africa:
Monate Conservation Lodge (6th to 8th of December 2013)

After a tough last half of the year, we decided to head into the bush
and allow ourselves to become reacquainted. We headed to Monate
Conservation Lodge just a few kilometers North East of Bela-Bela (Warm
Baths). For more information go to their
web site.

Late afternoon storm clouds rolling in over the Monate
Conservancy.

What a peaceful place. No cellphone reception, no TV, no
traffic. Just you and nature.

We saw lots Zebra, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck, Kudu, and
even some Oryx and Nyala.

We also saw quite a few giraffe, to my wife's delight.

Having an early morning coffee after our game drive.

Just chilling out.

Rejoicing after reaching the top of a "little" hill we
climbed during our bush walk.

Old Max. He was not much bothered by us acting like drooling
tourists, snapping away at a rhino.

During the previous day, we had three of them chomping away
no more than 20 meters from us, while we were enjoying our
sundowners. Amazing!

Monate is a Conservation Lodge, and they are trying to
reintroduce Cheetah. This young fella is in the "hospital" after
an encounter with a Wildebeest which left him with a broken back
leg.

Does anyone remember the old Chomp advert? Here is the you tube
link... I think that this might have been the daddy in the
advert!

Having a sundowner with the hippos in the background. Some
people were a little more cautious, and made sure there were
other people and a Landover between them and the hippos. Some
did not even get out of the Landrover!

During our last night, we had a lovely dinner in a cave up on
the hill next to the lodge. What an experience and an amazing
view.

It is that time of the year again, when all male Southern Masked
Weaver's are busy building nests in the hope of attracting a
female. It was quite amusing to watch their displays and
territorial battles, as well as their amazing dexterity while
weaving their nests.